Parallel
by Reyaumbra
Summary: When Ratchet sacrifices his life in return for Clank's own, he learns upon reaching the afterlife that he is the only one capable of stopping a mysterious force threatening to destroy existence. As a result, he is returned temporarily to his old body- emphasis on temporarily. The Clock is ticking...


_**/AN. New story! And I like the plot, so I'll be continuing with it too xD Italics is meant to symbolise what is happening in the afterlife, btw ;D/**_

_"Boo!"_

_The amber-and-brown furred Lombax jumped as the Zoni drifted chuckling to a halt beside him, both hovering around fifty centicubits off of the ground._

_"Terribly sorry," Orvus smiled. "Frightening people is one of the upsides of being dead, and an amusing pastime that I like to indulge in now and again."_

_Kaden raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you meant to be the smartest being in the universe?"_

_"Who ever said that being intelligent meant you could not have a little fun?" The Zoni retorted. "You seem to have a fair few extra brain cells yourself, but that could be doubted from the rumours that Alister and your wife have been spreading." _

_"Oh really now?"_

_The Zoni nudged him, suddenly concerned for the events that were unfolding before them in the world of the living._

The creatures that surrounded them were unlike anything that either Ratchet or Clank had ever seen before. They were tall, thickly built with enormous hands, and seemed to be more entity than creature. Some of the bigger ones were armed with sharp blades. None of Ratchet's weapons tended to do any lasting damage, they were outnumbered goodness-knows-how-many to two, and they were losing; badly. The Lombax was already bleeding heavily from several vital areas and limping on his right leg. His movements were slowing, and he was getting tired.

How much longer could he keep this up? Every time he batted one away, it would reconstruct itself in a matter of seconds and come charging back.

"Ratchet, look out!"

The warning came too late as one of the creatures threw a fist almost as big as Ratchet himself into his side with a sickening crack, throwing him skidding across the ground.

Clank went to run over to him, but another of the entities sent him flying with a kick.

"Clank!" The bloodied Lombax choked out, spitting out a mouthful of blood and coughing violently.

_"Can't we do something?"_

_"We can try!"_

_"Where do you think you two are going?" The Zoni and the Lombax froze at the dreadful purring sound of the mysterious voice._

Ratchet scrambled to his feet, but stopped in fear at the sight displayed before him.

One of them had it's blaster pointed to Clank's 'head', the finger tensed on the trigger.

"Don't shoot!"

_Thin misty entrails wrapped themselves around their wrists, binding them from going to the aid of their sons. _

_"Let go of us!" Kaden yelped in horror._

_"We only want one…if one dies, the other will die also." The eerie voice sounded terrifyingly gleeful. In the world of the living, the entity holding Clank captive was saying words of a similar meaning._

"So who's it going to be? If one dies, we will let the other go." An enormous grin manifested on the entity's face.

It didn't take Ratchet longer than a split second to reply, "Me. Let him go."

The creature shrugged. "As you wish…" He removed the gun from Clank's head and shoved him roughly away. Ratchet had no time to react as he was grabbed around the neck and wrists by two separate entities.

The desperate pleas from the little robot did not deter the entities at all.

_"Ratchet!"_

Clank could only watch, struggling, as a Creature standing directly behind Ratchet tensed his arm…

..and thrust the blade through his best friend's chest.

_"Noooooooooooo!" _

_Orvus yelled uncharacteristically. Kaden simply froze in disbelief at the sight._

It may have been in slow motion for Clank as the blade, stained with Ratchet's own blood, was drawn backwards and the young Lombax fell to his knees, then backwards.

He did not move.

His tail was not twitching.

His chest did not rise.

The Last Lombax in the universe was dead.

**_/AN. I'll just leave that little cliffy to steam... R&R if you want more :P/_**


End file.
